Rosewood History. Qld

Emil Julius MOLLER – Artist

© Jane Schy 2025

Emil Julius Moller was born on 15th May 1858 at Copenhagen, Denmark to Hans Olsen Moller and Jensine Caroline Eriksen.

Emil was a student in drawing and painting and won a bursary. He was sent to Paris for three years to complete his studies and became a Master Painter and Artist. He was employed a designer for one of the large porcelain works in Copenhagen.

He migrated to Queensland on the Duke of Westminster, arriving 6th July 1886, at Brisbane.

When he found that art had little scope in his new country, he reluctantly took up sign-writing and decorating. 

In 1890 he married Natalie Louise Gundersen (1870-1946) and they went to Maryborough where Emil set up in business as a painter and decorator in Adelaide Street, near the office of the Chronicle.

They had two children Victor William Albert, born 1891 and Hilda born 1894, who died aged 3 months.

For years Emil was the drawing master at the Boys’ and Girls’ Grammar Schools, and Technical College. 

In August 1896, he started exhibiting at the Queensland Art Society’s Exhibition and was awarded special prizes for his entires. Mr. E. Moller is a new exhibitor who adds greatly to the charm of the exhibition.

For the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations in Maryborough in June 1897, Mr. J. J. Borey, a pieman, in his new shop in Adelaide -street, had a pretty arrangement of flags, the Union Jack surrounded by Stars and Stripes and Dutch colours. He also exhibited a large portrait of the Queen painted on a screen by Mr. Emil Moller.

Emil sent down three of his oil paintings to the International Exhibition in Brisbane in August 1897. He received gold medal and special gold medal certificates for his two entries in the special oil painting of fruit and flowers category. He won a special prize for “Roses” and first prize for “Fruit.” They were the same works he had exhibited the previous year.

Emil became a British Citizen in 1898. 

In the Queensland Government Gazette (4th Aug 1900) it was announced that Emil’s application for a patent was accepted:- Emil Julius Turner, Artist, Alice Street, Maryborough –  Music Leaf Turner    

On 28th December 1900, he was granted a patent for his Music Leaf Turner in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.     

Subsequently, he moved to Brisbane and bought a home in Frederick Street, Taringa.

Emil came to Rosewood in 1909. He was on his own, without Nathalie and Victor. His occupation was “Artist” and he was sought after for his sign-writing skill e.g. printing names on honour boards, but he also worked as a painter and decorator, employing first class brush hands at 9s per day.

He was the Vice President of the School of Arts in 1910 and painted the name on the new building in 1912. It is likely his skills were employed for similar work.

Emil was a staunch and active supporter of Labour Party in the Rosewood district and was instrumental in forming a W.P.O. in April 1911. He was presented with a gold medal in recognition of his services to the election campaign that year. 

He was President of the Moreton Divisional Executive and a delegate to State Labour Conferences. In 1920 he travelled to Townsville, as Representative for Warrego, to attend the Labour Convention. He became ill on board the Bingera and was sick when he arrived. Emil died on 3rd July 1920 at the Lister Private Hospital from ptomaine poisoning, aged 62 years. Another passenger on the Bingera, the uncle of the President of the Convention, also became ill while on board, and died of pneumonia at Charters Towers the same night as Emil. 

Before Emil died he had been working on a painting of a rose which he didn’t get to finish, and he left an incomplete painting of fruit at Townsville.

It was said of Emil that he was “a fine sterling character”. He was buried at Belgian Gardens Cemetery, Townsville in an unmarked grave. (Sect F, Sub 4, Row 6, Plot 121)

Emil’s son, Victor, became the Secretary of the Indooroopilly Horticultural Society. In 1921 he grew a new variety of persimmon in his garden at Frederick St, Taringa and named it “E. J. Moller” in memory of his father.

Mr. Moller brought three of the persimmons to the “Telegraph” office yesterday afternoon. The fruit has an appearance not unlike tomatoes, and is of a darker red than the persimmons one usually sees growing. Apart from the colour, the flavour is a distinct feature of the fruit. A reporter, after sampling some of it, agreed that it was most delicious. Mr. Moller says that he planted a seedling nine years ago and has now been rewarded with this splendid variety of persimmon.

Although not widely known among the public, Emil was a gifted artist. It is often the case that we hear little of an artist or discover their work until they are dead.

In August 1922, the Brisbane Courier of Friday 25 August 1922, had this article on page 4.
Interesting Pictures. – In one of the windows of Messrs. W. H. Paling and Co.’s premises in Queen-street, two pictures are being exhibited, the work of the late Mr. E. J. Moller. They are an inspiration to all students of the art, and will repay inspection, even by those who usually do not trouble to interest themselves in such matters. Mr. Moller died suddenly in 1920, and the pictures referred to were his last completed works of the previous year. Two beautiful panels, they are rightly treasured by his relatives, and it will be generally conceded that they are a credit to Queensland painting. Both are fruit subjects, and the artist has succeeded in obtaining a wonderful depth of tonal truth. The most minute detail has been faithfully observed, and even the casual eye could not fail to be impressed with the air of absolute reality which pervades both panels. The colouring is almost perfect.